Are you old enough to remember when Michigan FOOTBALL was good?/Michigan Memories

Are you old enough to remember when Michigan FOOTBALL was good?/Michigan Memories

Of course you are. :-) But I got such surprising, interesting, overwhelming response on the basketball thread, I was curious what your memories of Football were during you student years, or first memories (ALL your memories might overlap a little too much).

I was in that 89-93 class. 4 straight Big Ten titles (and really 5 overall), Bo's last year, first Heisman in an era, Desmond getting tackled by State, then making THE CATCH, our PREVIOUS undefeated year as a senior (uhm...won't mention the ties) and a Rose Bowl win. Never lost to OSU.

And can remember my mom as a kid getting upset over the Michigan games...

I was going to shit all over you for being a smartass when I read the title.

My favorite game, out of the four years I went as a student, was when Michigan slapped Purdue's Drew Brees team around in the rain. I think it was #10 Purdue and #4 Michigan. There was something about the atmosphere that I had never felt before and haven't felt since.

We stood in the rain on the benches--with way more than the listed 112,000 actually in attendance--sideways just to get enough room to see the game. What an experience.

Yeah, that's why I added the Michigan Memories part...didn't want people skipping over it just because it sounded douchey. But I figured it was soon enough after the other thread that people who get it, and relate it to the other one.

Those were Harbaugh years. He was as exciting a QB as Michigan had seen in a while. He took risks and guaranteed wins and Bo would give him hell for it. The Big House was rocking at all times. Jamie Morris was the Mike Hart of that time, a fireplug of a guy who just powered through over and over again. And the offensive line was ginormous. It was a great time for Michigan football.

I was never a student at UM (applied for Undergrad and Graduate but wound up elsewhere), butr I grew up in Metro Detroit and the 1997 season is one of my most vivid childhood memories. Well, maybe not the whole season, but certainly the Ohio State game and the Rose Bowl. Those thrilling wins made me a Wolverine for life.

Agreed, nothing quite like beating OSU. The offensive dominance we put together in the rivalry in 2003 will not be forgotten. Edwards and Perry were probably the two most dominant offensive players in the conference, and they took over the game. That was the last game I saw as a UM student, and it is still special to me that I went out a winner.

RR will soon be providing graduating classes with fond and victorious memories.

So I endured four 4-loss seasons, then graduated right before the MNC run in '97. But, I did get to see some great games, such as: (1) the 28-0 whupping we put on OSU in '93 when UM was 7-4 and OSU was 9-0-1 and looking at playing for a possible national title in the Rose Bowl; (2) the 18-17 comeback against UVa; (3) the Kordell Stewart Hail Mary (a great college FB game, even if it sucked at the time); (4) Biakabatuka going off for 300+ to stun the Buckeyes again in 1995; (5) the 5-0 win over Purdue in 1996, which was played in quite possibly the coldest and craziest weather conditions in the history of Michigan Stadium.

"You will suffer humiliation when the team from my area defeats the team from your area." -- The Onion

But I was there. And we've had cold games since (Northwestern 08 comes to mind...) but NOTHING will ever be as cold as that.

It was the way the weather went...the worst imaginable, high 30's, and pouring rain...so everybody was soaked...and the temp dropped below freezing, as it turned to snow...and turned us all to hypothermic ice. Soaking wet, and freezing. I imagine it's what falling into a frozen lake feels like.

That game was truly the end to the 100,000 game streak. And by the end of that, there wasn't a 3rd that many. Heck, I think we were all huddled up under the Press box, trying to stay out of the weather. No winning game have I wanted to leave more. I think I was cold for a week.

But it WAS kinda fun. The low score, safety, players falling out of bounds hydroplaning...

Either way, I left the '95 game at halftime. Another in a long line of "woefully underprepared" games that I attended (Northwestern '95 and BC '96 are part of that group, before I wised up and started dressing in layers). I had a light jacket on with a raincoat over it; no gloves and just my baseball cap. I kept putting my hands in the raincoat pockets, which always had a little pool of (ice) water in them. It was so good to get back in the dorm and thaw out my hands. I only missed the safety.

I spent K-3th grade living in Cincinnati, and my best friend's uncle played for OSU. Suffice it to say, I was introduced to flaming stupidity at a young age. My dad is an alumnus so I can only imagine how that made his stomach churn...as an expectant father, the thought my child behaving that way makes me sick and angry...it makes me sickgry!

When we moved back, I started watching UM football, because that is what was on TV. It didn't even take a month until I was outside at recess initiating games of "Desmond" with my classmates. That was a game I invented where the players attempted to make the most fully-extended and impressive diving catches possible.

The story has a happy ending in that I continued in my UM fandom, matriculated to AA and graduated a 3rd generation Wolverine in 2003. I owe my conversion and to some extent football salvation to Desmond and his abounding awesomeness.

I am very sorry for wasting your time. This has never happened to me before. I've never really had a problem in that "department". I know that this happens to guys, but it never happens to me, and I'm not OK with it. I'm going to get a prescription. They make pills for this, right?

I found out this past season that my dad was there for Anthony Carter's ridiculous game winner... that was a pretty cool story to hear for the first time at 21 years old. Always knew he went there and was a huge football fan, but never really heard any stories about it.

I haven't seen any fantastic games there yet, mostly cupcake games along with this years loss to Purdue. Hopefully I'll be a student in the fall and can see some glorious victories!

You young guys missed the fun. The 69 and 71 OSU games and the 68 Minny game and Tim B destruction of OSU, those were really fun. Tou also missed standing in line for the football tickets. We were in line for two and half weeks for the 73 tickets, what a party!

99-03, so I remember the Brady-Henson debate, the Navarre DAMNIT years, and having an irrational love for Marquise Walker. I remember being stuck in the alumni section freshman year and seeing ND nearly beat UM to start the season, then sitting through a snowstorm against Purdue and the MSU-Duckett game. I also remember thinking that 10-2 was a nice season but that next year's team would be unstoppable. Alas, that was the best team I ever saw while at UM, but my fondest memory remains the Phil Brabbs kick against Washington and the student section absolutely losing its mind.

I was there for the same period for undergrad, and definitely remember how awful Navarre was when Henson was hurt. I think that was actually our best team, although our freshman year we bounced back and were pret-tay sick at the end when we beat 'Bama behind Tom Brady.

I was lucky enough to get to go back from '05--'07 for grad school. Living in Louisiana and Chicago for the two years in between definitely made me realize what we had, and I soaked up every minute of my second tour of duty on campus, especially that 2006 season, which was probably the best 3 months I've ever experienced.

I too had an unexplainable love for Marquise Walker. I mean, he was good. But I was absolutely convinced that he was one of the top talents in the country, and a mortal lock to be a very productive NFL receiver. That said, I still think his catch at IOWA is the most impressive grab I've ever seen in college football. I think he used his spidey-web to bring that back in, because it was definitely past him at one point.

Not only was the catch itself unbelievable, but if he hadn't caught it, Michigan probably would have lost that game. It's one thing to make an amazing catch at a "whatever" time of the game, but to do it when the game is on the line is what makes a play like that unforgettable.

"You will suffer humiliation when the team from my area defeats the team from your area." -- The Onion

I still remember seeing that catch on TV and my roommates and I nearly flipping the couch over as we jumped up to celebrate. Truly one of the most impressive high-pressure catches I've seen in college. And as noted below, it was the game-winner, not some nice catch at the end of a blowout our in the 2nd quarter. I still remember that play like it was yesterday.

People forget that he was actually rated higher than David Terrell coming out of high school. Great, productive receiver. When we had two great ones at a time. Unfortunately, I'll always also remember his big drops at home against OSU that would have had us beating Tressel and company even with as bad as Navarre played that day.

Never saw Michigan beat Ohio State, but I witnessed Braylonfest in 2004, watched Lloyd haggle for :02 against Penn State in 2005, then something historic happened that I've blocked out of my memory in 2007, and I saw Michigan come back from an 18-point deficit against Wisconsin in 2008.

Being an out-of-stater, Braylonfest is how Michigan football sunk its hooks into me (I'd always been somewhat of a fan, but not too much into college football until I went to Michigan), I just wish I got a chance to rush that field...

Having been born in '87, I feel like I am still pretty young. However, I was lucky enough to be the son of U of M grads, the brother to one, and then one myself. Since I was 3, I have been at the Big House every Saturday when I didn't have some sporting event of my own. I was actually there for 'the Catch' at age 4, although I don't remember it. The Notre Dame game last year was one of the best in recent memory. I sat with my Grandpa, who at 82 is still a professor at U of M, and after Forcier found Matthews right in our corner of the stadium he grabbed me and said, "Promise me you will tell this story to your grandkids when you take them to games." And I will. My 5 favorite memories:

5. Brabbs kick to win in the closing seconds
4. Manningham's TD to beat PSU
3. Braylon taking over against MSU
2. Mercury Hayes dragging his foot to beat Virgina (my first clear memory of a game in the Big House)
1. OSU game in '97 - Woodson's punt return was right in our endzone and after the game I went on the field with my Dad and grabbed a handful of the turf

EDIT: I would add the Ohio State game in '95 when Biakabutuka had 313 yards. I was only 8 at the time but I remember that game because I loved when the announcer said his name and of course we beat OSU

After the 6-6 disaster season (now a days it sounds pretty good)in '84, I really liked the way UM bounced back in '85. It was my favorite season since after the '84 season I was a bit worried that Bo's career may be winding down and that our program had peaked and was on the way down. However, in '85 the defense kicked some ass and Harbaugh came back strong! We came close, one last second field goal in Iowa City, from going undefeated that year. My favorite game was the way we beat OSU. They were 10th or 12th in country and thought they could take us at home. Kolesar's 60 yd TD reception in the 4th QTR put that game away! Mark Mesner was a beast on the DL. I remember him at Heartland HS.

The '88 Alabama game was after the 1987 season. Which is good, because he nearly single-handedly won the 1988 Ohio State game with a long kickoff return and a long touchdown reception in the last minute after Ohio State had taken the lead. Kolesar never really put up big numbers, but he had some big plays.

Went to this game. It rained two hours before the game and everyone got cold. Then the sun came out and Harbaugh dominated the second half. They sold beer at Aloha Stadium. Everyone from that point one was happy.

I've been to so many games and remember a multitude of huge wins and epic losses.
I sat in the student section as a junior in high school to watch the 86 squad trot Mike Gilette out for a game winner versus Iowa.
Traveled to Pasadena in January 87 to the RoseBowl to watch us take a lead at the half [versus John Cooper's Arizona State squad] only to have the lead vanish ending in a pisser 22-15 loss. That sucked. Value add to that experience was watching my old man (who never drinks) feel the effects of the New Years Eve champagne and race pregame to the top steps of the Rose Bowl and empty his breakfast directly over the edge of the bowl where the Rose Bowl emblem is emblazoned. My brother and I got a chuckle out of that.
My freshman year (88) sitting in Regent Water's seats (honey 50 yd line perch) with my folks and my elder student brother as we dominated Jimmy Johnson’s ‘Canes only to watch Bo’s bend-but-don’t-break defense get slaughtered in the second half to Cleveland Gary. That sucked.
My roommate was a wrestler and got us through the tunnel to take part in the Michigan Club banner for the Florida State game in 91 only to watch Terrell Buckley pick six Todd Collins on our first offensive play (a quick out to Desmond as I recall). Amp Lee played games with our dbacks all day. Derrick Brooks made 200 tackles seemingly… Which was impressive considering we had an unbelievable squad that year. Four All Americans, twelve All Conference, and a 31-3 smackdown versus the Buckeye. Of course the Noles sported four All Americans as well… [btw, our own Greg Frey was on that squad --Named the top offensive lineman in the country by Super Prep...Max Emfinger's choice as the country's top offensive tackle...a Parade All-American as a senior at Clearwater High...named to first team All-America squads by Emfinger, SuperPrep and numerous other publications...considered one of the top offensive line prospects in Florida prep history...played for the Florida team in the Florida-Georgia All-Star Game]
I was there for Eddie Brown, Donavan McNabb, Kordell Stewart, Rocket Ismail, etc. I’ve felt the pain firsthand several times.

Seems like doom and gloom until I run the numbers and for the years I was on campus (88-93) we won five consecutive Big Ten titles (four outright), won four bowl games (incl. two Rose Bowls), and finished in the top 10 five years running while accumulating a 55-13-4 record.

My first Michigan football game was my freshman year in 1986. I think I was the first one in the stadium.
Rushed the field after the Iowa revenge win that year.
Watched the Rickey Fogie Minnesota disaster in weather just as bad as that Purdue game everybody is talking about - but in a loss.
Went to the '88 Rose Bowl. Stood in line at the concession stand at half time and took all kinds of crap from the Spoiled Children as M was down 3-14. Watched with glee in the 2nd half as we clinched the victory 22-14 and all of the SC brats threw their 75th RB anniversary cushions on the field.
Saw the end of an era when Bo retired.
"Magic's" catch against ND, and punt return against OSU.
It will never leave my blood.......

First game I ever went to was in 2008 when Michigan was down 20 at half to Wisconsin and rallied for the win. However, the best game I ever went to was Notre Dame in 2009. It was absolutely deafening when Stonum returned that kick!

Big fucking deal—not only am I old enough to remember when Michigan was good, I'm old enough to remember the last time Michigan was bad. I grew up listening to Michigan football on the radio in the late '50s and early '60s with my dad, and we really sucked. Sparty crows about their alleged "dominance" now, but back then it was the real thing— in '61 and '62 MSU beat us 28-0 both years. I remember my dad just groaning listening to those games. Michigan was the skinny dork on the playground and the big bullies OSU and MSU just pounded the snot out of us and took our lunch money every time. That's why Bo became such a god so quickly—we completely turned the tables, and we became the big bully pounding the snot out of pretty much everybody.

“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." — Mencken

Manningham's catch, (and the one at MSU), steamrolling through the 2006 season with a minor slip-up at the end, and the ushering in of the Rich Rod era with the comeback over the Badgers. I hope said era pays dividends.

But I never saw a single, solitary Big Ten title, nor did I ever see a win over OSU, and that will haunt me for the rest of my days.

My first and last visits to Michigan Stadium. First trip in 1975. I was 8 years old and we played Missouri. We were rated 10 or 12 and Mizzou was like 5th in the country. My dad took my Cub scout troop... without tickets! We paid the admission and sat in the aisle! On the steps. We beat em pretty convincingly also. Finished the year 8-2-2.
Last game was in 1988. We played Illinois and won he game. We finished 9-2-1. But what I remember was meeting coach Schembechler before the game and getting to shake his hand. Met coach Hanlon as well. I live in South Carolina now and haven't been to a game since.

I would love the say the Championship season but I can't remember being as excited as I was that whole season when we went in undefeated against OSU's undefeated team. I still think we should have won that game if it wasn't for the crap call for the hit on Troy Smith. It was right after Bo die and emotions were on high. Even with the lose I think that was an amazing season full of emotions. We got to see the greatest RB and QB in Michigan history, record wise, in their prime. Great year that I will never forget, the rise before the fall I guess...

Student 2000-2004 with no prior allegiance to Michigan athletics. No major bowl wins (so damn close against Texas). Beat OSU freshman year and have only done it again once in the nine seasons since (though 35-21 my senior year was about as good as football memories get). Lots of great memories/wins (ND 2006, MSU 2004, PSU 2005, UF 2008). Lots of money spent on tickets only to be paid back in heartbreak (attended the three Rose Bowl losses and flew back from California for the 2006 and 2007 OSU games).

Ugh. But it is always great to be a Michigan Wolverine. Just hope that the 2010's or whatever the hell you call them go a little better than this past decade.